DANNY
GLOVER – Last Friday, I had the honor and rare opportunity to spend some time
with one of the most versatile actors and artists in the entertainment business
– Danny Glover. Yes, THAT Danny
Glover, star of the wildly success “Lethal Weapon” films along with Mel Gibson, costar of “Lonesome Dove,”
and “Dream Girls,” and countless other great productions.

The pair
were performing at NC State University as part of the “Experiencing King”
weekend of activities there, presented by the NCSU Libraries , NC State LIVE,
the African-American Cultural Center, and the NC StateDept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, and
it’s chairman, Prof. W. Jason Miller,
author of the bestselling book, “Origins of the Dream,” which chronicles the
close inspirational relationship Dr. King and Langston Hughes had during the
1960s, and the height of the civil rights movement.

As you
know, I am an associate producer on the upcoming documentarybased on the book, which is being directed
and co-produced by Rebecca Cerese [“February One: The Story of the Greensboro
Four”], and Prof. Miller.

During the
months I was out sick, Jason and Rebecca scheduled getting both Glover and
Justice on camera to talk about their show, and why the words of both Dr. King
and Langston Hughes are so relevant today.

Needless to
say, I was in the best of health Friday when that interview was taped right
before curtain time. Having only seen Mr. Glover in the movies, on television
and in photographs, I was surprised when I met him as to how tall and lanky he
is. Even though he is much older and greyer now, the raspy, yet smooth voice,
and the great humor that has been a trademark of Mr. Glover were all still there.

But what
was also there was Glover’s tremendous grasp of history and commitment to
social justice. As you know, Glover was a huge supporter of Sen. Bernie
Sanders’ presidential campaign, and has a long history of social activism, not
just in the United States, but around the world. That is some that burns
through when you meet him, and her him speak.

What also
grabbed me is right after the brilliant performances of both men, how they not
only embraced the audiences during the Q an A session, but also afterwards at
the reception. Danny Glover, in particular, hugged virtually everyone he saw,
took time to talk and take pictures. With everyone who came up to him or
gathered around, Glover took the time until every demand of his time was
met.It was gratifying to see.

Rebecca
told me that Danny Glover considered himself a “citizen of the world.” Of this
there can be no doubt But he is also an extraordinary performing artist, proud
black man, and committed social activist who takes the time to be with the
people, and speak out for justice.

I’m proud
of the time he and I had to speak, and to share.

Cash in the Apple - honored as the Best Column Writing of 2006 by the
National Newspaper Publishers Association. Columnist Cash Michaels was also
honored by the NNPA for Best Feature Story Journalist of 2009, and was the
recipient of the Raleigh-Apex NAACP’s President’s Award for Media Excellence in
Sept. 2011.

Until
next week, keep a smile on your face, GOD in your heart, and The Carolinian in
your life. Bye, bye.

-30-

BUTTERFIELD CALLS
TRUMP

“A DISGUSTING FRAUD”

by Cash Michaels

Editor

Minutes
after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump finally admitted to reporters
last Friday that contrary to what Trump had been infamously alleging for the
past years, President Barack Obama was, in fact, born in the United States, NC
Congressman G. K. Butterfield rhetorically blasted the controversial
businessman, calling Trump “a disgusting fraud.”

Rep.
Butterfield, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, spoke to reporters in
Washington, D.C. along with his colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus
Political Action Committee. Several members angrily denounced Trump, urging the
black community to display their anger as well by going to the polls to vote in
the November general elections.

“By any
definition, Donald Trump is a disgusting fraud, “ Butterfield continued. “He
started this silliness years ago by saying that President Obama was not an
American citizen. He had no proof of it, and so he started this disgusting
behavior [five] years ago questioning
the president’s citizenship. He would not have done that to aMitt Romney,he would not have done that to a John McCain, or any other white who was
running for president, but [Trump] has leveled this critixisn towards Pres.
Obama.”

Butterfield
went onto say that Trump’s advisers
have told him that he won’t be winning the presidency unless he can reach out
to African-American voters. After visits to at least two black churches and
speeches where he has rhetorically asked black voters “What do you have to lose
in voting for Trump,” polls show a slight increase in black support for the
Republican, but nothing over six percent.

“And they
will remain in the single digits,” Rep. Butterfield insisted, adding that
instead of “being a statesman, instead of apologizing…” to the president and
the American people for“his fraudulent
behavior,” Trump “simply came to the microphone, said ‘Pres. Obama was born in
United States…PERIOD,’ and then took reporters on a guided tour of his hotel.”

“I find
that disgusting; every American ought to find that disgusting. Every American
needs to understand that this man is a fraud, and he is an insult to the
American people,” Butterfield proclaimed. “We must defeat him in November.”

Pres. Obama
seemed to echo Rep. Butterfield’s tone and words when he delivered fiery
remarks at the 2016 Congressional Black Caucus dinner, chiding the
African-American community that it would be a “personal insult, an insult to my
legacy,” if they didn’t come in high numbers come November to vote against
Donald Trump.

Hope is on the ballot,” the
president said, referring to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
“And fear is on the ballot too.”

-30-

MOTHERS OF T HE MOVEMENT- (From left to right) Geneva Reed-Vail, Maria Hamilton and Gwen Carr all lost adult children to police brutality. [Cash Michaels Photo]

MOTHERS OF THE
MOVEMENT

URGE BLACKS TO VOTE

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

They are
members of a dreaded club they say no one wants to join. Their black children
were all killed, either by a law enforcement officer, or someone with a gun. In
each case, their child was an innocent victim, not only of the deed, but of the
lack of justice that followed.

They are known as “The Mothers of
the Movement,” and they captivated the nation last July when they walked out on
stage during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Three of them -Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner; Maria
Hamilton, mother of Dontre Hamilton; and
Geneva Reed-Veal, mother of Sandra Bland - spent Monday and Tuesday of this week
speaking at events in the African-American communities of Greensboro at N.C. A
& T University, Durham, Charlotte and Fayetteville sharing their pain, and
urging their audiences to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November
presidential election.

The Clinton
campaign sponsored the mothers’ tour.

During
their hour-long session at North Carolina Central University’s School of Law
Monday in Durham, the mothers talked to students there about how their children
were killed, how the black community must mobilize to stem the escalating tide of
police killings, and why they
individually believed Hillary Clinton when she met with them, and promised, if
elected president, that she would work to reform the criminal justice system so
that police officers are held to greater accountability in incidents involving
the killing of innocent citizens.

“Well of course if our children
were not dead, we wouldn’t be [on tour] speaking,” said Ms. Reed-Veal, whose
daughter, Sandra Bland, 28, died in a Texas jail cell after she was arrested
after a minor traffic stop last year. “But we’re grateful to be able to go
around and make young people understand, ‘Your voice matters too. This is
serious business. We care enough about you to get out here and speak to all of
you across the country.

“So it’s a big deal, “Reed-Veal
said, “A big deal.”

The cries of Gwen Carr’s son Eric
Garner of “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe” on the smartphone video taken
while five NY City police officers strangled him to death on a Staten Island
street two years ago still haunts anyone who saw it. Like Reed-Veal and Maria
Hamilton, Ms. Carr assures that her child was a good son who did nothing to
deserve to die. A Staten Islan d grand jury refused to indict the officers
involved, even though there was evidence they were using an outlawed chokehold.

“I (posthumously) made a promise to
my son that I would speak out, and be the voice of the voiceless, and the
nameless, because some people don’t have a voice.” Ms. Carr said, adding that
the mission of the mothers is to bring about awareness in hopes that many,
especially young people, are listening.

“We’ve got to try to touch the
consciousness of America,” Ms. Carr added.

Maria Hamilton says police officers
aren’t doing their jobs when they hurt or kill innocent citizens. Her youngest
son, Dontre was shot fourteen times after he was confronted sleeping on a park
bench in Milwaukee, just because a beat officer mistakenly thought he was a
black homeless person scaring away customers at local businesses.

Ms. Hamilton says she was brought up in a family of police
officers who didn’t have to resort to lethal force to do their jobs. She added
that in many other countries, the police are trained to deescalate incidents,
and don’t even carry weapons.

“You don’t know nothing about me, an d you take my life? That
is not your job,” Hamilton said.

Critics of the Mothers o the Movement accuse them of being
used by the Clinton campaign, but they insist that they’re not, and the fact
that HillaryClinton has taken time to
listen to their pain, and promise to do something about police brutality, among
other issues, has convinced them that she is worth endorsing, and campaigning
for.